


Angels

by carolion



Series: Cowboy!Cook AU [2]
Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-23
Updated: 2011-08-23
Packaged: 2017-10-22 23:44:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/243895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolion/pseuds/carolion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>He made himself get out of the car slowly, instead of throwing the door open and <i>running</i> to where he could see Cook was standing. It was weird, too, the way he knew it was Cook, even if he couldn't make out any details. The way he was standing, one hip cocked and a hand on his hip, the other sort of shoved into one jean pocket - it was totally Cook, and Cook was <i>waiting</i> for him. He felt his excitement go up another notch, before telling himself to <i>be cool</i> because, well.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Angels

David couldn't wait to go back to see Cook at the ranch. He tried to disguise his excitement by showing his nervousness instead, since he actually _was_ really kind of nervous, because, like, what if he said something stupid? And what if Cook realized he was just this, this dumb kid who didn't know anything and had never even _kissed_ a guy before yesterday? So the anxiety he showed wasn't exactly faked. It was just - he led his family to believe he was nervous about getting on a horse, which, okay, that did sound kind of scary, but it wasn't mostly Cook.

"Honey, you don't have to go back," his mother soothed in the car, glancing back at him. David smiled weakly at her before looking down at his hands in his lap. He'd been lacing his fingers together, then unlacing them, mesmerized by the feeling of his own skin beneath his hands.

"Um, no, I want to. And Cook - he's right. I should, uh, get back on the horse, right? If I don't do this I could, I don't know, really miss out, I guess." David had no idea what he was talking about, but his mother seemed to buy it, because she just turned back to the front and started humming a song. He sighed in relief, and slumped back down against the back seat.

He made himself get out of the car slowly, instead of throwing the door open and _running_ to where he could see Cook was standing. It was weird, too, the way he knew it was Cook, even if he couldn't make out any details. The way he was standing, one hip cocked and a hand on his hip, the other sort of shoved into one jean pocket - it was totally Cook, and Cook was _waiting_ for him. He felt his excitement go up another notch, before telling himself to _be cool_ because, well.

"Hey there," Cook said when the family had reached them, clapping his hands together briskly. "Are we ready to get started?"

Amber, Jazzy, and Claudia all crowed happily, while Daniel sort of scuffed his shoe in the dirt, and David - well, David was too busy staring at Cook's smile, which was bright and bold and completely unselfconscious.

"I'm going to go ahead and let Neal over here help you guys," Cook was saying, and led everyone to a bored looking guy with a lot of tattoos and, um, some piercings, and _gosh_ he was actually kind of scary looking. David stared at him with big eyes until Neal raised an eyebrow and snorted in amusement, turning to the family and waving his hand casually.

"Follow me," he said, and David guessed if Cook trusted him then he was probably a good guy. And he wasn't that scary looking. Just kind of, um, not what David was used to. Though neither was Cook and - well, yeah. David started to follow him automatically, assuming that he'd be going with his family, but Cook grabbed his shoulder and reeled him back in.

"Whoa there tiger, you're sticking with me." David flushed because, _duh_ , he knew that, and let Cook's hand rest heavily on his shoulder, his thumb brushing up against the back of David's neck. He shivered without meaning to, then glanced guiltily at Cook, who was staring straight ahead and walking them into the barn. Briefly, David wondered where they were going, and if they were going to, um, _kiss_ some more, because yesterday had been _awesome_ and he really, really liked kissing Cook.

But when they finally stopped, it was in front of a stall where a little black horse stood, blinking sleepily at them, it's ears twitching as Cook whistled to it. David looked at it, confused, and then at Cook.

"Um?" He asked, but Cook was opening the stall door and running a hand over the horse's neck.

"This is Angel. You're going to take a lesson on him." Cook grinned at him (and David felt his legs go a little wobbly, _gosh_ ) before the words connected and he gaped.

"Wait, what? I'm actually going to - I thought we were just - I thought you wanted to _kiss_ me!" He exclaimed, distressed. Cook burst into laughter, almost doubling over. That really didn't make David feel any better - in fact, it made him feel a lot _worse_.

It wasn't so bad when Cook, still sort of chuckling, leaned down and pressed a fleeting kiss against his lips. Cook patted his chest sort of fondly, with this gentle smile on his face.

"Of course I want to kiss you, you goof," Cook said, "but I wasn't kidding about that lesson. C'mon, let's get tacked up. Then we'll see about that kissing."

David could only nod and start grabbing brushes to groom Angel with.

 

It was actually pretty fun, spending time with Cook like this. He clearly loved the horses a lot, and spent some time saying soft things to them, and patting their necks. David watched him out of the corner of his eye and pretended not to notice when Cook said "Try not to scare this one, okay? I like him," but his cheeks went red anyway, and he could feel Cook's gaze on his back. Besides talking to the horses, Cook had a lot to say to David too. They talked about music and traveling, and Cook told these _awful_ jokes that, after he refused to relent, had David practically on the ground and begging him to stop so he could like, _breathe_.

"So, um, how did you get into horse back riding? Or like, have you always ridden?" David asked at one point, trying to figure out how to cinch up the girth without hurting Angel. Cook automatically reached around him to help him, tightening the thing without a second thought.

"Oh, my grandparents had horses when I was a kid. I kind of grew up goofing around on them, just yahooing around." David mouthed 'yahooing?' at Cook, who swatted him lightly. "But I didn't really start _riding_ until I took a summer job at the ranch when I was, hm, I guess I was sixteen?" Cook scratched his chin a little and grinned. "I came back every summer and got better and better, until I went away to college. Then I came back and bought a couple of horses for myself, and got a job as a trainer."

David nodded absently and stroked Angel's soft nose. "Is Angel yours?" He asked. Cook shook his head.

"No, he belongs to the ranch. I just have Daytripper and Eleanor right now, though there are a couple I'm thinking about investing in." Cook stepped back and looked at David and Angel critically, before nodding decisively. "Looks good. Ready to get on and ride?"

"What? Oh my gosh, _no!_ " David yelped, jumping back from Angel and flailing his hands in the air. Cook grabbed for his hands and lowered them, chuckling a little. They were big, and warm, and wrapped completely around his own hands, and they shouldn't have been _that_ distracting, but, um, he kind of forgot about being nervous as Cook forced the reins into his hands and made him walk out to the arena, leading Angel.

He actually _was_ pretty nervous to get on again, even though Angel was like, way smaller than Daytripper was, and he stood perfectly still as Cook gave him a leg up and hoisted him the saddle.

"You okay there, Arch?" David stared at him.

"Arch?" He asked, frowning a little. Cook grinned up at him, resting his hand on David's thigh.

"Yeah, I think it's cute. Like, short for Archuleta, since we're both called David." Cook stepped away from him then, his hand sliding off of his leg, and David had this moment of blind panic where he froze on top of Angel -- but nothing bad happened.

"Um," he managed, "I guess that's fair." He didn't really mind. In fact, it kind of made him feel special, that Cook would come up with a nickname for him. He relaxed, a little, trying to breathe carefully and not make any sudden movements. Then Cook started to talk, and David tried to focus on the sound of his voice.

 

By the end of the lesson Cook had graduated to calling him 'Archie' and David was pretty sure he was in love with both Angel _and_ Cook. The little black horse did exactly what he was told, obediently and without question, and they'd even done a little cantering, which was like a really slow gallop, Cook had explained. It was a little scary at first, because it was way faster than a walk or a trot, but once he relaxed his hips and moved more _with_ Angel's motion, rather than bracing against it, it was actually pretty fun!

And Cook was just, he was _great_. The whole time, even when David kind of, um, freaked out a little and refused to do anything but clutch to the saddle, Cook just talked to him in this low, soothing voice, and _somehow_ got him to relax and listen.

He was hot and sweaty by the end - horse back riding was like, way more work than he had thought! It definitely wasn't just sitting on your butt, like he'd originally thought - and Cook was equally dirty, dusty from standing in the middle of the arena as Angel kicked up dirt.

"C'mon," Cook had gestured to him, after handing Angel off to one of the grooms, "I'll show you a place to clean up a little." David had followed willingly, eager now that the lesson was over to maybe, hopefully, get some alone time with Cook. And maybe, um, more kissing? Because he really, really wanted to kiss Cook again. Had he already mentioned that? Well, um, he really did.

They ended up at a well ("Really?" David had asked, surprised, "A well?") where Cook handed him a clean rag and then proceeded to dunk his head, spraying water everywhere when he came back up for air.

"Cook!" David exclaimed, throwing his arms out to block the spray of water as Cook shook his wet hair out. "Oh my gosh! I'm soaked!"

Cook scoffed. "You are not!" And then he cupped his hand in the water and cuffed a wave towards David. "Now you are!" He crowed, laughing and running away from David who had dunked his rag in the water and hurled it at Cook. It hit him squarely in the back, and Cook let out this high pitched squeal that had David falling over laughing, clutching at the side of the well so he wouldn't drop to the ground.

"You're such a brat!" Cook said, and then strong arms were wrapping around him and dragging him off. David fought gamely, but Cook was really pretty strong, and well, David didn't _actually_ want to get free. The sound of horses snorting and people laughing got quieter, and David realized they were back in the hay barn, where it was cradled away from the crowds, and almost ethereal. The hay was yellow and looked kind of soft, but he wasn't totally sure. Like, it might be scratchy? Or itchy.

"Hey," Cook said softly, and touched his shoulder gently. David looked towards him, and was surprised by how nervous the older man looked. He smiled automatically, and leaned into the touch, feeling weirdly successful when Cook grinned back and the touch turned into a caress. If that swooping feeling in his stomach wasn't triumph, he really wasn't sure _what_ it was.

"Do you take everybody back here?" David teased, ducking his head a little and looking up at Cook through his lashes. "Or am I special?" It was meant to be a joke, but the thread of seriousness that crept into his voice was all real. Cook stared at him, and then licked his lips a little, which made David's heart rate jump like a jackrabbit's.

"You're special, Archie," Cook murmured softly, and then curled his arm around David's neck and reeled him in close for a hug. "You're definitely, really special."

David couldn't do much but hold onto Cook tightly, burying his face into Cook's damp shirt and breathe in the smell of him - horses, and sweat, and dirt, and it should have been gross, but it _wasn't_ , and David knew he was in way over his head.

"Can you kiss me now?" He asked, his voice muffled against Cook's chest. Cook pulled back and stared down at him, a little confused.

"What?"

"Um," David blushed hotly, looking down at his feet. "Canyoukissmenow?" And it came out all in one breath, but Cook must have understood him, because his chin was tilted up and Cook's mouth was on his and, _oh!_

The hay _was_ kind of scratchy, but David didn't care, because Cook was pressing against him, his whole body stretched against his, and his hands were in David's hair, and he was _kissing_ him. It was all David could do to keep up, his hands fisted in the back of Cook's shirt, giving in to the long, sweet, wet kisses that Cook kept giving him, his body humming with the rhythm of their breaths and their heartbeats, and how Cook's tongue stroked along his and set fireworks off behind his eyelids.

He must have made a sound - a whimper, or a groan or something - because Cook pulled back, panting and lips swollen, to ask "Are you okay? Is this-" and his face was all worried so David pushed him back onto the hay and crawled on top of him, curling one hand against Cook's face as he kissed his cheeks, his forehead, his nose, and finally, his lips, shyly.

"This is perfect," David said honestly, earnestly, then leaned down and mouthed along Cook's jawline. He was rewarded with a long, drawn out moan, and the feeling of Cook's body _flexing_ underneath his. David hadn't even realized he was straddling Cook's lap until he kind of, um, pressed his hips forward a little, totally unconsciously, and felt the hot, hard line of Cook's erection against the bulge in his own pants.

Cook ripped his mouth away and leaned back, gasping for air. "Jesus, Archie!" He said, in this really hot, low, husky voice, and, um, that really wasn't an incentive to _stop_ , like, at all. David canted his hips forward again, watching Cook's face seriously as he shuddered and groaned again.

"Oh," David mumbled, feeling his groin pulse with sharp and sudden arousal, and it was kind of hard to breathe? He thought maybe it was the hay-dust, but it could have just been- "Oh!" He exclaimed again, and then melted into a long, embarrassing moan, because Cook's hands - Cook's _hands_ \--

Cook leaned up to kiss him, and it was so passionate, biting and harsh and it completely _stole the breath_ from him, but it was over way to fast, and Cook was pushing David off his lap.

"Wha-?" He asked, dazed and hard and, _gosh!_ "What're you-? Can't we-? _Please?_ " And he knew his voice was slightly whiny, but he couldn't help it! Why had Cook _stopped?_ Cook was pushing his hair back, his eyes a little wild.

"This is moving _way_ too fast Arch," he said, but it looked like it hurt him to say it. David pounced on the opportunity.

"No! No, it really, really isn't. I want this! I want-" the words got stuck in his throat, especially when Cook looked at him like that, all soft-eyed and vulnerable, like what David said next could completely change his world. "I want _you_ , please." And if he was shaking, well, it was kind of drafty.

"I cannot believe I'm doing this," Cook said, but it was breathless, and David was being pushed back down into the hay and- _wow_.

 

After cleaning up (and kissing some more, unable, it seemed, to keep themselves apart) Cook led David back to his family, where they had all just gotten done with their trail ride. He was still weak kneed and breathless from entire experience (because, wow! He'd totally gotten _jerked off_ by this, like, completely gorgeous older guy, in the _hay_ , and after he'd come, he'd sort of, like, pressed his hand against Cook's crotch, and um, rubbed a little? And Cook had just _moaned_ and thrust up and came, too! It was _awesome_ ) but he hoped he'd stopped blushing by now, and that the fact that he'd just had sex wouldn't be _completely_ obvious to his family.

Everyone was smiling and laughing, talking to each other. Neal wasn't in sight, but there was this dopey looking guy with long dreads who Claudia was trying to flirt with. He just looked amused and distracted, but David had the feeling he probably looked like that a _lot_.

"Hey David!" Jazzy called to him, and rushed to give him a hug. He hugged her back, only half-listening to her chatter on about her horse and the animals they'd seen, and how Jason was _so totally cool_ , because Cook was kind of, um, still staring at him, all intense and dark.

He lifted a hand and waved goodbye, but clutched Cook's phone number in his other hand tightly, making sure to not let go.

He was going to see David Cook again. That much he was sure of.


End file.
